Heat exchanger



Sept. 21, 1965 D. M. DONALDSON HEAT EXCHANGER Filed Feb. 27, 1963 is H In z/erzl o'r' fiasrrzarzdffpanczzdion United States Patent 3,207,216 HEAT EXCHANGER Desmond M. Donaldson, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, as-

signor to Borg-Warner Corporation, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Filed Feb. 27, 1963, Ser. No. 261,263 Claims. (Cl. 165-148) This invention relates to heat exchangers, and more particularly to an improved, low-cost heat exchanger which is especially suited for, but not necessarily limited to, use in cooling systems for automotive vehicles.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved, low-cost heat exchanger construction including a plurality of elongated, hollow heat exchange medium conducting elements.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heat exchanger in accordance with the foregoing object which is constructed from a plurality of identical, elongated plates joined in face-to-face relation and having dished portions at opposite ends thereof forming header portions or segments of inlet and outlet headers, respectively.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heat exchanger in accordance with the foregoing object wherein the identical plates are provided with a symmetrically arranged peripheral flanges engaging unflanged portions of a complementary plate.

Other and more particular objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a front, elevational view, partly broken away, of one embodiment of a heat exchanger constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a top plan view of one of the hollow heat exchange elements which are stacked to form the heat exchanger illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a front plan view partly in section of the hollow heat exchange element;

FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane of line 44 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view taken along the plane of line 55 of FIGURE 3.

The heat exchanger embodying the present invention comprises a series of elongated, hollow heat exchange elements arranged in spaced or superposed relation, each said element including means forming interconnectible header portions at opposite ends thereof to form common inlet and outlet headers adapted to receive and discharge a fluid heat exchange medium.

Each of the hollow elements is constructed by joining a pair of elongated plates in face-toface relation, each plate having dished portions at opposite ends thereof forming header portions or segments of a common header. Each of the dished portions includes an aperture which is adapted to be registered with a corresponding aperture on an adjacent heat exchange element to fluidly interconnect a pair of adjacent elements.

Certain radiator constructions of this general type which are known in the art include joined plate members having generally planar edges which are welded or otherwise joined together to form the hollow heat exchange elements. In assembling these elements, it has been found that it is diflicult to properly orient the plates with respect to each other to insure that they are bonded together in an accurate position. Relatively complex assembly devices for maintaining the plates in stacked relation seriously encumber the bonding procedure with a resultant increase in unit cost. One solution to this problem would be to provide one plate of each pair with means for securing the mating plate and maintaining it in a fixed, properly aligned position. However, it should be apparent that this solution has an obvious disadvantage since to accomplish this, two dissimilar plates must be formed for each pair. In a mass production operation, the necessity for providing two individual stamping lines and an inventory of two nonidentical parts represents a substantial increase in the cost of production. It is therefore desirable to have the plate members be identical in every respect so that they may all be manufactured by utilizing a stamping machine having a die of a single design.

Accordingly, the present invention proposes a novel and inventive solution to this problem by providing identical plates having peripheral flange means arranged asymmetrically and adapted to engage an unflanged portion of a complementary plate forming the other half of the hollow heat exchange element. In a representative example, the peripheral flange extends around one half of the entire periphery of each plate so that when the plates are turned end to end, the peripheral flange on a first plate will engage the unflanged edge of its mating plate; and the latter will have a peripheral flange engaging the unflanged edge of the first plate.

Attention is now directed to FIGURE 1 which illustrates a heat exchanger or radiator indicated generally by numeral 10. A series of elongated, hollow heat exchange elements 12 are stacked in superposed relation with the ends of each said elements being fluidly interconnected with an adjacent element to form common inlet andoutlet headers 14, 16 respectively. If desired, secondary heat exchange means may be inserted between adjacent heat exchange elements which may be in the form of corrugated fins 18. While the unit is illustrated as having the hollow elements 12 arranged horizontally to provide what is commonly called a cross flow radiator, it should be understood that such elements may be arranged vertically without any change in function.

Each of the hollow heat exchange elements is fluidly interconnected with an adjacent element at each end thereof by an aperture 20 registering with a complementary aperture in an adjacent unit. It will be noted that each of the hollow elements comprises a pair of elongated plates 22, 23 having dished portions 22a, 23a to each end thereof and preferably having rounded or semicircular shaped end portions. The pair of plates are joined in face-to-face relation to provide enlarged chambers 26 at each end, defined by the dished portions 22a, 23a, and an elongated intermediate portion 28 fluidly interconnecting said chambers. The intermediate portion is preferably provided with a plurality of spaced passages 30 separated by intermediate ribs 29, said ribs having the dual function of spacing the plates to provide the passages and strengthening the elements against flexing. As seen best in FIGURES 3 and 4, when the plates are placed in face-to-face relation, the fluid conducting passages are formed by the raised section along the length of each said element.

An important aspect of the present invention is the provision of a flange around the periphery of each of the respective plates forming the heat exchange elements to facilitate the positioning of one plate relative to another when assembling the same. In the example shown in FIGURE 3, the peripheral flanges 32, 32a extend from the mid point on one side of each plate around the end thereof and to the same point on the opposite side of the plate. Thus, the peripheral flange is provided on one ha f of each plate only. When the plates are transposed or placed end to end, the peripheral flange 32 (or 32a) of one plate will engage the unflanged edge 34 (or 34a) of the other of said plates and vice versa. This arrangement not only facilitates the positioning during assembly but also assists in securing a solid bond between the respective plates during brazing, soldering, Welding, or whatever method is used to join them. It should be clear that the bonding material, for example a brazing alloy, can flow readily into the juncture between the peripheral flange and its engagea-ble unflanged edge to firmly seal the same and provide a leak resistant bond.

To provide a secure connection between adjacent heat exchange elements, one of the apertures at the ends of the element is provided with a circumferential flange a surrounding the same. This flange is insertable within a complementary unflanged aperture 20 in an adjacent ele- ,ment to position said elements and aid in stacking the ,same without the necessity of jigs or other supporting apparatus.

Having described the invention with reference to a specific heat exchanger, it should be obvious to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be constructed utilizing the same principles of the present invention. For example, the plate may include a flange extending longitudinally on one edge of each plate from one end to the other on one side only, or the plates may include a plurality of flange segments spaced all the way around the perimeter, said segments being arranged asymmetrically so that when the plates are transposed, a flange on one plate will engage an unflanged portion of its adjacent plate. As a matter of fact, any configuration whereby the flanged portions or segments are arranged asymmertically with respect to an imaginary line dividing the perimeter into two equal parts of equal length will accomplish the desired results.

It should therefore be understood that the invention rather than being limited to the specific embodiment disclosed herein be accorded a scope defined solely by the appended claims which should be given as broad a construction as permitted by the pertinent prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. In a heat exchanger, at least one longitudinally elongated fluid conducitng element including a pair of identical, longitudinally elongated plates disposed in overlying relation and secured together along their peripheral edges in fluid tight relation, one longitudinally extending half of each of said plates including a flange extending entirely about its peripheral edge and the other longitudinally extending half of said plate including a completely unflanged peripheral edge, said plates being disposed in longitudinally transposed overlying relation with the first half of each of said plates overlying the second half of the other thereof with the flanged edge of each of said first halves engaging the mating unflanged edge of each of said second halves, said engagement preventing transverse movement of said plates with respect to each other prior to securing said plates together in said fluid tight relation; and means defining a fluid inlet and fluid outlet in communication With said fluid conducting element.

2. In a heat exchanger, at least one longitudinally elongated fluid conducting element including a pair of identical, longitudinally elongated plates disposed in overlying relation and secured together along their peripheral edges in fluid tight relation, said plates including at least one longitudinally extending depression disposed in superposed alignment with a corresponding depression in the other of said plates to define therebetween said elongated fluid passage, and a dished portion adjacent each end of said plate disposed in superposed aligned relation to a corresponding dished shaped portion in the overlying end of the other of said plates to form inlet and outlet chambers in communication with said fluid passage, one longitudinally extending half of each of said plates including entirely about its peripheral edge and the other longitudinally extending half of said plate including a completely unflanged peripheral edge, said plates being disposed in longitudinally transposed overlying relation with the first half of each of said plates overlying the second half of the other thereof with the flanged edge of each of said first halves engaging the mating unflanged edge of each of said second halves, said engagement preventing transverse movement of said plates with respect to each other prior to securing said plates together in said fluid tight relation, and means defining fluid inlet and fluid outlet passages in communication with said fluid inlet and fluid outlet chamber respectively.

3. In a heat exchanger, a plurality of longitudinally elongated fluid conducting elements disposed in laterally stacked relation, each of said elements including a air of identical longitudinally elongated plates disposed in overlying relation and secured together along their peripheral edges in fluid tight relation, one longitudinally extending half of each of said plates including a flange extending entirely about its peripheral edge and the other longitudinally extending half of said plate including a completely unflanged peripheral edge, said plates being disposed in longitudinally transposed overlying relation with the first half of each of said plates overlying the second half of the other thereof with the flanged edge of each of said first halves engaging the mating unflanged edge of each of said second halves, said engagement preventing transverse movement 10f said plate with respect to each other prior to securing said plates together in said fluid tight relation, each of said plates further being disposed in iongitudinally transposed overlying relation to the adjacent plate of the next succeeding element, and connected thereto by means providing fluid communication between each of said elements.

4. In a heat exchanger, a plurality of longitudinally elongated fluid conducting elements disposed in laterally stacked relation, each of said elements including a air of identical longitudinally elongated plates disposed in overlying relation and secured together along their peripheral edges in fluid tight relation, one longitudinally extending half of each of said plates including at least one flange along its peripheral edge located in predetermined relation to the transverse center of said plate, and the other longitudinally extending half of said plate including an unflanged porion along its peripheral edge disposed in said same predetermined relation to the transverse center, said plates being disposed in longitudinally transposed overlying relation with the first half of each of said plates overlying the second half of the other thereof with the flanged edge of each of said first halves engaging the mat ing unflanged edge of each of said second halves, said engagement preventing transverse movement of said plates with respect to each other prior to securing said plates together in said fluid tight relation, each of said plates being disposed in longitudinally transposed overlying relation to the adjacent plate of the next succeeding element and being connected thereto by means providing fluid communication between each of said elements, said means including flange means defining an aperture in one of said halves disposed is predetermined relation to the transverse center of said plate and means defining an unflanged aperture in the other of said halves disposed in said same predetermined relation to the transverse center of said plate, said unflanged aperture having a diameter suflicient to receive the flanged means of said first half of the next succeeding element in longitudinally interlocking engagement therewith so as to revent longitudinal movement of said longitudinally transposed overlying plates with respect to each other prior to securing said plates together.

5. In a heat exchanger, a plurality of longitudinally elongated fluid conducting elements disposed in laterally stacked relation, each of said elements including a pair of identical, longitudinally elongated plates disposed in overlying relation and secured together along their peripheral edges in fluid tight relation, said plates including a dished portion adjacent each end of said plate disposed in superposed aligned relation to a corresponding dished shaped portion in the overlying end of the other of said plates to form inlet and outlet chambers for said elements,

one longitudinally extending half of each of said plates including a flange extending entirely about its peripheral edge and the other longitudinally extending half of said plate including a completely unflanged peripheral edge, said plates being disposed in longitudinally transposed overlying relation with the first half of each of said plates overlying the second half of the other thereof with the flanged edge of each of said first halves engaging the mating unflanged edge of each of said second halves, said engagement preventing transverse movement of said plates with respect to each other prior to securing said plates together in said fluid tight relation, each of said plates further being disposed in longitudinally transposed overlying relation to the adjacent plate of the next succeeding element and connected thereto by means providing fluid communication between each of said elements, said means including flange means formed on one of said dished portions defining an aperture in one of said halves disposed in predetermined relation to the transverse center of said plate and means defining an unflanged aperture in the other of said dished portions in the other of said halves disposed in said same predetermined relation to the transverse center of said plate, said unflanged aperture having a diameter sufficient to receive the flanged means of said first half of the next succeeding element in longitudinally interlocking engagement so :as to prevent longitudinal movement of said longitudinally transposed overlying plates with respect to each other prior to securing said lates together, said engaged aperture defining means providing fluid communication between said elements at said inlet and outlet chambers.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,386,461 8/21 Finlay'son 165--l48 3,021,804 8/62 Simpelaar 165-153 X FOREIGN PATENTS 1,225,180 2/60 France.

528,297 10/40 Great Britain. 850,871 10/ 60 Great Britain.

CHARLES SUKALO, Primary Examiner.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,207,216 September 21, 1965 Desmond M. Donaldson It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 1, line 25, for a symmetrically" read asymmetrically column 2, line 16, for "complenentary" read complementary column 3, line 39, for "conducitng" read conducting line 71, before "entirely" insert a flange extending column 4, line M, for "plate" read plates same column 4, line 56, for "is" read in Signed and sealed this 31st day of May 1966.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST W. SWIDER EDWARD J. BRENNER Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

1. IN A HEAT EXCHANGER, AT LEAST ONE LONGITUDINALLY ELONGATED FLUID CONDUCTING ELEMENT INCLUDING A PAIR OF IDENTICAL, LONGITUDINALLY ELONGATED PLATES DISPOSED IN OVERLYING RELATION AND SECURED TOGETHER ALONG THEIR PERIPHERAL EDGES IN FLUID TIGHT RELATION, ONE LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING HALF OF EACH OF SAID PLATES INCLUDING A FLANGE EXTENDING ENTIRELY ABOUT ITS PERIPHERAL EDGE AND THE OTHER LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING HALF OF SAID PLATE INCLUDING A COMPLETELY UNFLANGED PERIPHERAL EDGE, SAID PLATES BEING DISPOSED IN LONGITUDINALLY TRANSPOSED OVERLYING RELATION WITH THE FIRST HALF OF EACH OF SAID PLATES OVERLYING THE SECOND HALF OF THE OTHER THEREOF WITH THE FLANGED EDGE OF EACH OF SAID FIRST HALVES ENGAGING THE MATING UNFLANGED EDGE OF EACH OF SAID SECOND HALVES, SAID ENGAGEMENT PREVENTING TRANSVERSE MOVEMENT OF SAID PLATES WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER PRIOR TO SECURING SAID PLATES TOGETHER IN SAID FLUID TIGHT RELATION; AND MEANS DEFINING A FLUID INLET AND FLUID OUTLET IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID FLUID CONDUCTING ELEMENT. 